With Easter upon us, and households nationwide tucking into a feast of chocolate treats and festive leftovers, we need to make sure we keep an eye on those food vacuums.
And by food vacuums, we of course mean our four-legged friends.
We all know that a lot of themed foods and sugary goodness tends to get consumed over the Easter period, and with so much to make your way through, it can be tempting to treat your dogs to some of the leftovers.
But did you know that some common Easter foods can actually make them seriously ill? This is why it’s so important to know which ones should be avoided.
Whilst it’s perfectly fine to offer your pooch small snacks in moderation, there’s lots of foods around at this time of year that your dog may help themselves to if they aren’t stored away, and many of them are extremely toxic – so pet expert and founder of Yappy.com, John Smith, has highlighted which are dangerous for our dogs, what to do if they do consume them, and some of the safer choices to dogs as a well-deserved treat.
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Here’s five Easter foods that are toxic to dogs.
Did you know that some common Easter foods can actually make dogs seriously ill? / Credit: Pxfuel
1. Chocolate
Chocolate is obviously one of the most popular treats to find in homes during Easter, but it contains a chemical called theobromine, which is seriously harmful to dogs, and this means that eating even a small amount of chocolate can have serious consequences and result in symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and death in some serious cases.
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2. Hot Cross Buns
Hot Cross Buns are another delicious Easter food that should be kept far away as most contain dried fruit such as raisins, sultanas, and currants, which are toxic to dogs.
The reasons behind why these fruits are toxic is a bit of a mystery, as some dogs have eaten large amounts of dried fruit without feeling unwell, whereas others have become unwell after eating just a small amount – but John says it’s “definitely best to err on the side of caution” and make your own buns using a vet-approved dog-friendly recipe that you can enjoy together as a family without fear.
3. Cooked Bones
Cooked bones come with serious health risks for dogs.
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Although they aren’t poisonous, they’re prone to splitting when gnawed and chewed, and this can lead to bone fragments getting stuck in their throats – which can result in choking.
4. Bulb Vegetables
Bulb vegetables are a roast dinner essential, but those such as onions and garlic can cause nasty stomach upsets for dogs, and in some cases, can even cause red blood cell damage, so it’s better to keep them on your plate and out of your pets’ mouths.
5. Meat Skin
It may be tempting to give your dog skin from the leftover chicken, or a fatty piece of meat – but this is far too rich for their tummies, and in some of the worst cases, it can cause inflammation of their pancreas.
Properly-cooked boneless pieces of chicken added to their dog food bowl is a better way to involve them in the Easter fun without risking their health.
Chocolate and hot cross buns are just some of the Easter foods toxic to dogs / Credit: Pexels & FreeImages
What should I do if my pet has eaten something it shouldn’t have?
Even if your pet has only eaten a small amount of these foods, it’s important to do the following:
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Call the vet straight away – Don’t wait for your pet to start showing symptoms. A vet will be able to offer advice, and the quicker you act, the better chance your pet will have of recovery.
Note the time and quantity of food ingested – Provide the vet with as much information as you can. This includes the time your pet ate the unsafe food, brand names, the ingredient list and how much you think they consumed.
Don’t try to make your pet sick – Attempting this can cause further health complications. Leave this to your vet, as they are trained to do this in a safe manner.
John adds that dog owners should “keep any dangerous Easter foods well out of paws reach in a high cupboard”, and check that floors are “clear of toxic food scraps” that children may have dropped during Easter egg hunts and parties.
Lola Young shares first public statement since cancellations and stepping away from the spotlight
Danny Jones
UK pop star Lola Young has shared her first public statement since cancelling the remainder of her tour and stepping away from the spotlight.
Lola Young, 24, took a break from her still-burgeoning career after numerous concerning incidents on stage, including throwing up and even passing out in the middle of a performance.
The BRIT School graduate announced the unfortunate cancellation of her upcoming shows “for the foreseeable future”, including a gig here in Manchester, at the end of September.
Breaking her silence after the best part of three months, the London-born singer-songwriter took to social media in a fairly brief but heartwarming statement.
As you can see, the time away from the public eye certainly seems to have been beneficial, telling her followers that “it has helped more than you will ever know”.
In addition to embracing ADHD – even labelling her hit song ‘Messy’ as an “ADHD anthem” in multiple anthems – she was also diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder at just 17.
The latter can include symptoms such as psychosis, hallucinations, intense mood swings, bipolar mania, depression and more.
All that being said, we’re glad to hear that she’s on the mend; we saw her back in March, and you could tell from the crowd that she’s already got a very passionate cult following.
Both conditions and their associated obstacles have obviously affected her, but have equally helped influence her music and lyrical material, certainly, too.
Responding in the comments, fellow artist SZA wrote: “Love you, starfire angel. Your music is FULL of longevity and substance! We’re so grateful for you”.
Joining in support, ‘dark pop’ musician Carter James added, “Your wellbeing comes before anything. So excited for your next chapter whenever it arrives!”
We hope she’ll be doing better enough soon to get back on stage when she’s ready.
Nathan Aspinall urges PDPA to improve mental health support within the sport
Danny Jones
Local sports personality Nathan Aspinall has urged the Professional Darts Players Association (PDPA) to provide better mental health support moving forward.
It’s not the first time ‘The Asp’ has called for more awareness and provision when it comes to player welfare and mental wellbeing, specifically, which remains a prevailing societal problem in general.
The Greater Manchester native has opened up about his own struggles many times in the past and has made a public plea for the PDPA to intervene and offer more help.
Speaking at the 2026 PDC World Darts Championships after his opening round victory, the 34-year-old instead chose to focus on more important issues than his strong start.
As you can see, Aspinall began by stating that “the PDPA now need to step in and help these guys because there’s a lot of guys suffering.”
Having long been an champion for male mental health, in particular – supporting the local Healthy Minds practices in his hometown of Stockport, for instance – he’s been one of the outspoken player on the subject for some time.
Noting that there are at least “two or three people” he refused to name, his message was simple: “There’s a lot of fantastic dart players in our sport, but it’ll be a shame to see so many of them go because of mental health”
The 2019 UK Open and 2023 World Matchplay winner has battled with multiple obstacles, including an ocular condition known as bilateral traumatic Brown’s syndrome, as well bursitis, which causes inflammation around key joints.
But it’s not necessarly injuries and the physical side of things that have been his biggest concern.
𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗨𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁
"I really do not care anymore.
"I do everything I can to be a good sportsman and you still get s**t. So you know what? I don't care. Say what you want." pic.twitter.com/mCBjQ6kvyj
One of the biggest and most recurring challenges for him has been ‘dartitis’, which many players within the discipline wrestle with the more their careers progress.
Aspinall has confessed to suffering almost chronic panic attacks due to the mental blocks (also commonly known as ‘the yips’) brought about by the intense pressure of playing on stage/live on TV.
With that in mind, it’s great to see him not only back on form and pulling impressive performance such as his ‘big fish’ finish on Friday night, but continuing to draw more attention to the underlying mental health crisis, especially among men. Well played, Nath.
You can watch his post-match interview in full down below.
Emily Sergeant -
17th April 2025 
